Claudia Kim plays the role of a Japanese noblewoman in 'Gyeongseong Creature'. Photo: Handout
South Korean actress Claudia Kim has split up with her husband after five years of marriage.
The 39-year-old star, who spent her childhood in the United States and speaks fluent English, is known for starring in Hollywood films such as Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015) and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald (2018). She announced her divorce from Korean-American entrepreneur Matthew Shampine on Sept 23.
Shampine, also known by his Korean name Cha Min-geun, is the former general manager of co-working company WeWork Korea and one of the founders of WeWork Labs.
According to news outlet Korea JoongAng Daily, Kim’s management agency YG Entertainment confirmed the divorce on Sept 23 and said the split was an amicable one.
It added: “Although the two have chosen to go their separate ways, they will continue to support each other. Since this decision was made after long contemplation and thorough conversation, we kindly ask you to refrain from making any malicious comments or speculation.”
The couple, who went public with their relationship in August 2019 and married that December, have a four-year-old daughter. Kim and her daughter vacationed in Singapore in June, and the actress shared several photos of their trip. Shampine was not seen in the pictures.
Kim, whose Korean name is Kim Soo-hyun, made her acting debut in the K-drama Queen Of The Game (2006 to 2007), after winning a South Korea-China modelling competition in 2005.
She went on to star in shows like the Netflix period series Gyeongseong Creature (2023 to present), playing the antagonist role of a Japanese noblewoman, as well as fantasy romance The Atypical Family (2024), in which she portrayed a woman with superpowers who struggles with obesity. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
